Oscar host Seth MacFarlane is also a nominee

Oscar host/nominee Seth MacFarlane (Photo: Jennifer Graylock/FilmMagic)
When Seth MacFarlane hosts the 85th Academy Awards on February 24th, he will be in the rare position of also being a nominee. The “Family Guy” creator received an Oscar nomination for writing the lyrics to “Everyone Needs a Best Friend” from “Ted,” which he also wrote and in which he co-starred as the voice of Mark Wahlberg's teddy bear.

While an infrequent occurrence, this is not the first time a host has found himself nominated. As recently as 2011, co-host James Franco was nominated for Best Actor for “127 Hours.” In 1987, co-host Paul Hogan was nominated for Best Original Screenplay for “Crocodile Dundee.” Michael Caine and Walter Matthau, at the 45th and 48th Academy Awards, respectively, also co-hosted and were nominated for acting awards. However, the only Oscar host to ever win when nominated was Frank Capra, also the Academy president at the time, who took home a statue for Best Director for “You Can't Take It With You.”

MacFarlane's chances of joining Capra in Oscar trivia history seem slim, with “Suddenly” from “Les Miserables” the odds-on favorite at this point. But if the wide-open nature of this year's Oscar nominations tells us anything, it is that nothing is certain.